Flour sifter



Marqh 5, 1929. R. M. WELCH FLOUR SIFTER Filed Aplil 13, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet .Rzzi M ATTORNEY WITNESS:

March 5, 1 929. a w c 1,704,583

FLOUR SIFTER Filed April 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz/21% in h/ATTORNEY VENTOR Patented Mar. 5, 1929. p

7 UNITED STATES RUTH M. wnLcH, or HooKnn, OKLAHOMA .rLoUn sirrnn.

Application filed April 13, 1928. Serial No. 269,802.

This invention relates to sifters primarily adapted for sifting flourany number of times without necessitating emptying flour within otherreceptacles. 1

An object of the invent-ion contemplates a V bowl adapted to receive thesifted flour and which when inverted within the sifter will redepositthe sifted flour within the sifter and subsequently return to a normalposition to 1 again catch theflour as sifted.

Another object of the invention comprehends scoops or carriers operablewithin the bowl and which when operated in conjunction with theagitating apparatus of the sifter will lift and return the sifted flourto the screen or sifter whereby the sifting operation is a continuousone.

An additional object of the invention embodies a restricted entranceopening for the bowl and which when disposed at an inclination willprevent loss of the flour incident to the suction created by action ofthe scoops or carriers. p

More specifically stated the sifter is provided with holder elementsferret-aiming the bowl in different positions.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further consistsof the following novelfeatures and details of-construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings v 1 I Figure l is a horizontal sectional View takenthrough the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

adapted to journal the adjacent portion of an agitator shaft therein,whichin turn has its opposite extremity journaled within a hearingthimble 13. The opposite end of the shaft 12 terminates to provide agear handle 14, by

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invenextended horizontally from thehousing is means of which rotation may be imparted thereto.

A screen of semi-spherical shape, such as 1ndicated at 15, is providedwith an annular band 16 upon the periphery thereof. 1 The innermost endof the bearing ,nipple 13 is threadedly engaged with the band 16 torigidly retain said screen in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. Theagitator shaft12 merely extends through openings provided in theopposite sides of the band.

Agitator or heater arms 17, extended from hub members 18 upon the shaft12, are adapted to selectively and frictionally engage the bottom of thescreen15 when rotated in conjunction with the shaft 12. One of the hubmembers 18 is t-hreadedly'engaged with the shaft 12, in the manner asillustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. g

A bowl 19, having the particular cross section, as illustrated inFigure-2 of the drawings is rotatably mounted upon both the shaft Y12and nipple 13. Scoops or carrierarms20 threadedly connected andlooselyfitted upon the agitator shaft 12 and nipple 13 are adapt ed totravel around and about the screen15 and within the bowl 1.9. Fins 21inwardly projected from the intermediate portions in thelengths ofthescoops are adapted to lift and scoop up flour sifted through thescreen into the bowl 19 back within the screenfor future sifting. Asillustrated, the fins 21 are oppositely disposed upon the side edges ofthe scoops or carrier arms upon the semi-circular.

portions thereof extended in opposite directions from the shaft 12. Itis generally known that flour is sifted as many as five times to makethe flour light enough for bakingpure poses and which ordinarilyrequires that the flour be sifted within a large bowl and which issubsequently emptied into the sifter. And

it not infrequentlyhappens that the bowl is none other than a mixingbowl which-could be effectively employed for mixing the batter,-

The bowl is provided with depressed portions 22 within its sides adaptedto receive the innermost end of a spring pressed finger or rod 23 whichrigidly holds the bowl in an inverted position. The tension of thefinger or pin 28 against the outer surface of'the bowl 19 will sustainthe latter in any desired position axially of the shaft 12.

From the foregoing description and the particular figures mentioned, itis noted that two optional methods are oflered, namely, the

finger or pin 23' and the scoop or carrier arms 20 emplo ed to lift andredeposit the sifted flour wit in the bowl into the screen 15.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a'modified formof my invention which embodies the essential characteristics of thepreferred form of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive,but which in addition has provided means for operating the carrier orscoop arms independently of the agitator arms whereby all of the siftedflourmay be returned to the screen. before the sifting action isrepeated.

The construction involved in the modification is in the nature of asleeve member 24 rotatably mounted within a side wall of the housing 10and receiving and j ournaling the adjacent portion of the agitator shaft12. The scoop or carrier arms20 at their points of intersection adjacentthe shaft 12 and sleeve 24 are apertured to fixedly receive theinnermost end of said sleeve.

By omitting the handle 11 with reference to the preferred form of theinvention in contradistinction to the modification, a handle member 25vertically disposed upon the outer side of the housing 10 is employed.

It is to be especially noted that the housing may lie flush with andagainst a fiat surface 'while in use thereby overcoming the formerdifliculty of holding the housing in a certain position within a bowl.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction, and the right is here in reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention, what 'is 1. A sifter comprising ahousing open at both ends, a handle member carried thereby, a shaftmember extended and j ournaled'within the handle member and having itsopposite end journaled within an appropriate portion of the housing, ascreen carried within the housing, agitator arms carried by and operablein conjunction with the shaft and within said screen, and a bowl carriedupon,

the shaft being adapted to catch siftings from the screen and which wheninverted being adapted to return the screenings to the screen I forfurther sifting.

2. A siftercomprising a housing open at both ends, a handle membercarried thereby, a shaft member extended and j ournaled within thehandle member and having its opposite end j ournaled within anappropriate portion of the housing, a screen carried within the housing,agitator arms carried by and operable in conjunction with the shaft andwithin said screen, a bowl carried upon the shaft being adapted to catchsiftings from the screen and which when inverted being adapted to returnthe screenings to the screen for further sifting, and means carried bythe housing adapted to retain the bowl in a desired position therein. 1

3. A sifting device comprising a housing open at the bottom and top, ahandle member carried by and extended horizontally from the housing, ashaft extended and rotatably mounted within the handle having itsopposite end j ournaled within an appropriate portion of the housing, ascreen rigidly mounted within the housing, agitator'arms carried by andoperable in conjunction with the shaft and within said screen, a bowlswingably mounted within the housing, a spring finger carried by thehousing being adapted to retain the bowl in a desired-position, andscoop arms carried within the housing being adapted to lift and returnthe siftings from the bowl to the screen.

4. A sifting device comprising a housing open at the bottom and top, ahandle member carried by and extended horizontally from the housing, ashaft extended and rotatably mounted within the handle having itsopposite end journaled within an appropriate portion of the housing, ascreen rigidly mounted within the housing, agitator 'arms 7 carried byand operable in conjunction with the shaft and within said screen,- abowl swingably mounted within the housing, a-'

spring finger carried by the housing being adapted to retain the bowl ina desired position, scoop arms carried within the housing being adaptedto lift and return the siftingsfrom the bowl to the screen, and fins in-Wardly projected from the scoop arms in oppositely disposed relationthereon being adapted to carry and redeposit the siftings within thebowl to the screen. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RUTH WELCH,

